Girl Talk
by Autumn Rain2
Summary: What the girls talk about when the quest is on hiatus. Rated PG for suggestive themes and very slight language.


It was a rainy day in Rocket Town, and the expedition had come to a halt since more than half of the eight party members had whined to Cloud, begging for a rest. Once the spikey haired protagonist rolled his eyes in disgust, the party scattered. Vincent was soon nowhere to be found, Cait Sith wandered off to a pub, Barret went to a materia shop and Red XIII sat down as always. The three girls were left to rent the rooms at the inn. There was silence as they climbed the stairs and walked into the room they'd share. Tifa walked to the rain flooded window to look down on the streets of the old town.  
"What's up with that rocket, guys? I think it just looks stupid." She turned to Aeris, who had settled on the side of the bed and Yuffie who was cross-legged in the floor.  
"Oh come on, it's really pretty sad. They wanted to go into space and didn't get to." Aeris said with a sympathetic smile.  
"Aw, you're always thinking of others."   
"I know what she's really always thinking of," Yuffie added snidely.  
"Um.. What would that be?" The flower girl's unsure voice inquired.  
"Cloud!" Tifa and Yuffie cried out in unison.  
"I am not.."  
"Come on, what's up with you and Cloud, anyway?"  
"Yeah, tell us what you think of him!" Tifa sat in the windowsill and watched Aeris expectantly.  
"Well.. No."  
Her fellow party members wouldn't let her off so easy and begged her for her thoughts until she began.  
  
"Well. The first time... The first time I saw Cloud.." Her eyes focused on the floor in front of her and a distant smile came to her lips.  
"I was in the middle of the slums of Midgar. That's where I always was. Selling flowers. I don't know why I even started doing that, because no one ever bought any unless they were in trouble with their girlfriend. I guess I just wanted to get away from home every now and again. Then one day the reactor blew up, and I was pushed down by a crowd trying to escape the destruction. That's when he came and helped me up. He even bought a flower from me. And there was something about his eyes. Those mako blue eyes.."  
  
"Ooo-ooh." Yuffie giggled. "It was loove."  
"Shut up!" Aeris gave her a look. "I'm not done!"  
  
"So.. I went back to the church because the drama of the explosion was too much for me. I was watering my flowers and his face rushed back to my mind. I just couldn't get those eyes out of my head! It was maybe two days later when the ceiling of the cathedral cracked and he came flying through it. That's when I knew that Cloud and I were destined to meet again. And so I'm following him now, not just because of who I am and what I'm trying to accomplish, but because.. I really feel connected with Cloud."  
  
"And because you're totally whipped." Tifa stated as she raised an eyebrow.  
"Um.. Maybe."  
"Oh, oh! Tifa, don't you have a thing for Cloud too?" Yuffie grinned. She'd always wanted to see them fight over the spikey haired bastard.  
"No! I do not!"  
Aeris looked at her. "Yes you do," Then added, "And if you don't you should."  
"You think he likes me?"  
There was silence. And Tifa glanced sidelong to a crestfallen Aeris.  
"Oh, I'm sorry.. That was kind of rude."  
Aeris gave a reassuring smile and Yuffie whacked Tifa's foot. "So tell us what you think of him."  
"What I think of Cloud?"  
"Yeah."  
  
"What I think of Cloud... I've known him since he moved to Nibelheim. I guess I was kind of popular back then. I remember he always followed the boys over to my house, but he never came inside. When we talked for the very first time he was so shy. We were completely opposite, but we grew up together. It wasn't until a few years later those Shinra men came into town and gave him the idea of being in SOLDIER. The night that they left I asked him to meet me. He never came, and it was starting to get cold. I was about to leave when he showed up. He told me that he'd enlisted. And that's when I made him promise... promise that when he was a big hero he'd come back and protect me. I thought Cloud was the strongest person in the world for a while. And after he left, I dreamed of the day he'd come back. I was always waiting for a letter from him or something, but.. I never got one."  
  
She paused a moment to sigh and take a breath.  
"When he showed up again at the Seventh Heaven, I knew he'd finally come back, and I'd never leave his side again."  
Yuffie applauded. "Pretty touching. Wanna know what I think about Cloud?"  
Both girls stared at her. The last thing they wanted was younger competition.  
"I think he's a dumbass! I mean what's up with that hair? And he can't ever make up his mind. He's shrugging all the time. I really think he's just a muscle head."  
Aeris scoffed. "Oh yeah? Well who's really much better?"  
"Red XIII"  
An awkward silence ensued.  
"I'm joking!" The young ninja's eyes rolled skyward as the two gave forced and unsure giggles.  
"No, really. I think Vincent is cute."  
Tifa's face twisted into a slight grimace, as if considering. "If you like the freshly embalmed look."  
Aeris scratched her nose. "Maybe if he didn't have a claw. Could you imagine him giving you a hug with that thing?"  
"It makes him appear dangerous!"  
"No, it just makes him dangerous."  
"He turns into random monsters and sleeps in a coffin," Tifa added. "I consider that a turnoff."  
"Well whatever. Vampires are sexy. And anyways, I think he's better than Cloud."  
Yuffie flopped backwards on the wooden floor and glanced at the others in contempt.  
"What about Barret?"   
Everyone turned to Tifa.  
"What about.. No?"   
Tifa glared at Yuffie's comment. "Well come on, he's not that bad. He's got a soft heart and stuff."  
"Yeah, but dude. His shoes are twice the size of your head. Have you never thought that was just really weird?"  
"Well you know what they say about big feet."  
"Ugh!" Yuffie slapped her hands over her ears. "I don't want to think about it!!"  
Aeris giggled and fell over. "Geez, Tifa, do you really consider those kind of things!?"  
Tifa threw a pillow at Aeris. "No! I don't really! I was just joking!"  
Aeris gasped for air between her giggles.   
"What's so funny?" A bemused Tifa stared.  
"Tifa wants Barret's--!"  
She gasped, rusty hued eyes widening.  
"I do not! I never said that!"   
  
She stood up and started punching Aeris in the arm.  
About that time the door opened and in the doorway stood the five male members of the party. Aeris was babbling something incoherent and laughing as tears rolled down her face. Tifa was punching Aeris and violently protesting. Meanwhile, Yuffie was rocking back and forth on the floor with her hands over her ears.  
  
The mayhem stopped and all turned to the doorway. Silence hung in the room for a good five minutes until Cloud gave a thumbs-up and shut the door. Inwardly, he promised to never interrupt 'girl talk' again.  
  
As the five walked away, all was silence until Cloud looked at Vincent and began, "So what do you think about Tifa?" 


End file.
